Portable heel press and drier



April 27, 1943. K. A, NUTT 2,317,477

PORTABLE HEEL PRESS AND DRYER Filed Jul 22, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor fiemem m?) mar y I and M08} Attorneys April 27, 1943. K. A. NUTT 2,317,477

PORTABLE HEEL PRESS AND DRYER Filed July 22, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z I lnuent m Kerm 6272/4720? A/wfi y @Mlw @6 April 27, 1943. K. A. NUTT 2,317,477

PORTABLE HEEL PRESS AND DRYER Filed July 22, 1.942 5 sheets sheet 3 ulunqm "nun Inventor Attorneys Patented Apr. 27, 1943 UNITED STATES ATENT OFlCE PORTABLE HEEL PRESS AND DRIER Kenneth Afton Nutt, Delaware, Ohio Application July 22, 1942, Serial No. 451,915

2 Claims.

sary to unite the lifts and completely dry the resultant heels, the machine being easily movable from one heel building machine to another.

Other important objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description taken in connection with the appended drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general right hand side elevational view of the embodiment.

Figure 2 is a left hand end elevational view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a general transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 1 along the line 33 and looking toward the right in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 2 along the line 4-4 and looking in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through the right hand portion of Figure 1 to illustrate the automatic roll stop.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designates a light weight frame consisting of a pair of upper longitudinal side members 6, an elongated base 1, rear vertical members 8 connected at their upper and lower ends to the members 6 and the base I, the first front vertical members 9 and the second vertical members In, which are connected at their upper and lower ends to the upper members 6 and the base 7, the side assemblies thus provided being spaced and connected by upper and intermediate cross members H and 12, respectively, and by upper and intermediate rear cross members I4 and 55, respectively, the latter being connected to intermediate portions of the rear vertical members 8.

A transverse axle i6 is supported in bearings ll mounted on the upper longitudinal members 6 at a point of slightly to the rear of the middle thereof as illustrated in Figure l of the drawings, the said axle traversing and being fixed with respect to a hub l8 having flanges 19 between which are fastened flat relatively wide spokes 20 which are equally circumferentially spaced with respect to each other. The outer end portion of the rear side of each spoke 26 has fastened thereto a relatively wide flat plate 2| on whose radially inward edge is a right angular flange 22 which projects in a clockwise direction as seen in Figure 1 of the drawings.

Extending through each three adjacent cross members 2| adjacent the outer ends thereof are pairs of inner and outer arcuate rods or wires 23 and 24 which have heads 25 abutting the rearmost plate, with nuts Zfil bearing against the outer side of the other extreme plate 2!, whereby the said pairs of arcuate rods or wires are mounted in place.

Between each pair of adjacent spokes the portions of the rods or wires 23 and 24 subtended thereby have slidably mounted thereon the clamping plates 28 which are substantially the same in width and shape as the plain portion of the plates 2!. Helical springs 2'! and 28 are compressed between the plates 25 and the spoke remote from that spoke which carries the adjacent plate 2i, the plate 26 being thereby yieldably urged toward the plate 2! so as to clamp the opposite ends of a plurality of shoe heels 29 which have been placed in relation to the plates 2|, as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, so that no portion of the clamping mechanism touches any portion of the surfaces of the heels during the drying thereof except the tops and bottoms thereof. The plates El and 2B, in conjunction with the wires or rods 23 and 24, and the springs 2? and 23, provide multiple spring pressed clamping drying racks for pluralities of heels, which are placed in side by side relation transversely with respect to the drying wheel which is generally designated 39.

The drying wheel 30 is normally to be manually rotated in a clockwise direction as seen in Figure 1 of the drawings, and to prevent reverse rotation of the wheel an automatic roll stop is mounted on the rear cross members Hi and [5, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. This roll stop comprises a stationary horizontal arm 3| which is formed with a hole to slidably receive the depressible rod 32, the rod having circumposed thereon an expanding helical spring 33 which expands against the upper generally horizontal arm 34 which is hinged as indicated by the numeral 35 to the upper cross member 14, with the upper end of the rod 32 also pivoted to the arm 34. The arm 34 extends out beyond the arm 3| a suflicient distance to in its normal position be engaged by the outer end of any spoke in the manner indicated in Figures 1 and 5 of the drawings, so that reverse rotation of the wheel will be positively prevented. It will be noted that the capability of the arm 34 to subside against the tension of the spring 32 will permit the ends of the spokes 26 to pass the roll stop when the wheel 30 is rotating in the proper clockwise direction.

Another roll stop is provided on the second front vertical members Hi, the same comprising a vertically elongated plate 36 secured at its upper and lower ends to the upper and intermediate cross members H and i2 at the front of the frame, the stop comprising a slotted arm 3'! which is hingedly mounted as indicated by the numeral 33 in the space between the bottom of the cross member H and the plate 36, with the plate 31 mounted above the hinge element so as to abut the underside of the cross member i and be normally held in a rearwardly declining position as illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings, in which its rearward end is in stopping relation to the outer end of any of the spokes 26. A rod 39 hinged as indicated by the numeral 40 below the hinge 38 traverses the slot in the arm 31 and has circumposed thereon an expanding spring 4| which is compressed between the plate 36 and the arm 3'! in the full line position shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. A cable 42 has its upper end connected as indicated by the numeral 43 to the outer end of the arm 31, the cable being trained over a pulley 44 on the plate 35 and under a pulley 45 on the lower portion of the right hand front vertical member |IJ from which it rises to attachment to the lower side of the lever 46 which extends beyond the right i,

hand side of the frame as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings and has its opposite end pivoted on a rod 41 mounted between the first and second front vertical members 9 and H) on the left hand side of the frame 5. is stretched between the right hand extension of the lever 46 and an upper part of the vertical member ID to keep the lever 46 normally in an inoperative or elevated position.

At a point intermediate the sides of the frame; 7

a pivot pin 49 traversing an intermediate part of the lever 46 connects thereto the lower end of a vertical connecting rod 5| which has its upper end pivoted on a pin 52 to the inner end of nor mally upwardly and inwardly inclined levers 53 and 54 which are pivoted as indicated by the numerals 55 and 56 adjacent their laterally outward ends on pivot pins extending between the intermediate cross members l2.

The bifurcated extreme outer ends-of the levers 54 and 53 have pivoted between the arms 5? thereof the lower ends of upwardly and inwardly inclining bars 53 and 59 which lie against the laterally outward edges of the plates 2| and 2.6 on the wheel 38, as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings. The bars 58 and 59 are precluded from any substantial lateral outward movement by the presence of beveled blocks 60, being limited only to such lateral outward movement as will enable the said plates to push the bars 58 and 59 aside to enable rotation of the wheel 36. As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the extreme upper ends of the bars 58 and 59 reach to the space between adjacent plates 2| and 26 so that when the lever 46 is released from a depressed A helical spring 48 v position and is moved upwardly to the full line position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings by the action of the spring 48, the upper ends of the bars 58 and 59 will engage the adjacent plate 26 and push the plate 26 away from the companion stationary plate 2| and thereby open the rack to enable removal of dried heels therefrom, and prepare the rack for reception of heels to be pressed and dried. It is to be observed that when the lever 46 is depressed the cable 42 is relaxed so as to permit the spring 4| to push the holding arm 31 into its elevated spoke engaging and wheel stopping position, whereas in the elevated position of the lever 46 the cable 42 is under tension so as to hold the arm 31 in a depressed non-stopping position, permitting free rotation of the wheel 30 as regards the arm 31 A treadle 6| hinged intermediate the ends of a base 63 extending along the front of the base of the frame 5 extends in a right hand direction and overlies a pin 64 projecting forwardly from the outer-end portion of the lever 46. This treadle is provided for convenience in depressing the lever 46 by placing the foot .of the operator upon the treadle and releasing the same upwardly in an obvious manner. It will be understood that when a new plurality of heels to be pressed and dried on the wheel has been placed upon the plate 2| then in position, permitting the treadle 6| to rise by removal of the operators foot from the treadle, permits the plate 26 to move toward the plate 2| and clamp the heels in place.

Although .there is shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto except as may be required by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. A portable machine for holding, pressing and drying shoe heel blanks formed of superimposed lifts freshly cemented together and/or varnished, comprising a frame, a manually rotatable rotor horizontally journaled on said frame, said rotor comprising circumferentially arranged heel blank racks, each rack consisting of a stationary plate and a movable plate spring pressed toward the stationary plate for clamping a plurality of heel blanks with the plates engaging only the upper and lower ends of the heel blanks, positioning means for holding the rotor in a selected position of rotation, and treadle-operated means for operatively engaging the movable plate of the corresponding rack to move the movable plate in a direction away from the stationary plate to enable removal and replacement of one or more of the plurality of heel blanks from the rack, said rotor comprising a. hub, spokes radiating from said hub, at leastone circumferentially extending rod reaching between each adjacent pair of spokes, said stationary plate being secured to one of the spokes, and said movable plate being supported for movement on said rod, and expanding spring means compressed between the movable plate and the other adjacent spoke.

2. A portable machine for holding, pressing and drying shoe heel blanks formed of superimposed lifts freshly cemented together and/or varnished, said machine comprising a frame, a manually rotatable rotor horizontally journaled on said frame, said rotor comprising circumferentially arranged heel blank racks, each rack consisting of a stationaryplate and a movable invention, what is plate spring pressed toward the stationary plate for clamping a plurality of heel blanks with the plates engaging only the upper and lower ends of the heel blanks, positioning means for holding the rotor in a selected position of rotation, and treadle-operated means for operatively engaging the movable plate of the corresponding rack to move the movable plate in a direction away from the stationary plate to enable remova1 and replacement of one or more of the plurality of heel blanks from the rack, said rotor comprising a hub, spokes, radiating from said hub, at least one circumferentially extending rod reaching between each adjacent pair of spokes,

said stationary plate being secured to one of the 15 spokes, and said movable plate being supported for movement on said rod, and expanding spring means compressed between the movable plate and the other adjacent spoke, said treadle-operated means including reach bars supported on said frame for vertical movement to engage one of the movable plates to push the same away from its companion stationary plate when the reach bars are elevated from said positions, a treadle adapted to be depressed to elevate the reach bars, and operating connection means operatively connecting said treadle with said reach bars.

KENNETH AFTON NUTT. 

